According to United States Commission International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Report, in 2024, religious freedom conditions in India had continued to deteriorate as the attacks and discrimination against religious minorities continued to rise (Scheneck, 2025). In India crackdown on freedom of religion is not new. Following the protests in wake of passing Citizenship Amendment Act 2020 … Continue reading India – Criminalising Freedom of Religion: Some violations
NGO Committee on FoRB: Latest News
RUSSIA: At least 44 Russians sentenced to about 250-year prison terms in March
HRWF (07.04.2025) – On the basis of the research of the Russian association OVD-Info, we have identified 44 cases of Russian citizens sentenced to effective prison terms from 1 to 16 years (around 250 years in all) in March 2025 and serving them in various detention centers. These statistics do not claim to be exhaustive but … Continue reading RUSSIA: At least 44 Russians sentenced to about 250-year prison terms in March
Japanese Court Defies Its Own Constitution, Orders Dissolution of Unification Church
Japan already learned the hard lesson of pursuing a policy of intolerance and hate. The nation lost over 3 million of its people waging World War II over it. Japan learned its lesson so well, in fact, that after the war, it agreed to a new system of government under an American-drafted “Peace Constitution,” guaranteeing freedom … Continue reading Japanese Court Defies Its Own Constitution, Orders Dissolution of Unification Church
European Parliament urges the unconditional release of Baha’i prisoner of conscience Mahvash Sabet
The European Parliament has passed an urgency resolution on Iran, expressing its concern about the worsening human rights situation in the country. The resolution specifically calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mahvash Sabet. This is the third urgency resolution of the European Parliament in five months condemning the escalating persecution of Baha’is in Iran, who have … Continue reading European Parliament urges the unconditional release of Baha’i prisoner of conscience Mahvash Sabet
UKRAINE: 11 children rescued from the territories occupied by Russia despite Trump
HRWF (03.04.2025) – Ukraine successfully brought back 11 children who had been forcibly taken to Russia as well as Russian-occupied territory, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak announced on April 2. The children have been returned home under the President of Ukraine’s initiative, Bring Kids Back UA, according to Yermak. Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have … Continue reading UKRAINE: 11 children rescued from the territories occupied by Russia despite Trump
Report: Attacks on Catholics increasingly common and tolerated in Europe and Latin America
Attacks against Christians, especially Catholics, are on the rise in both Europe and Latin America, according to various reports from specialized organizations. During 2023, the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe documented 2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes in 35 European countries. This figure includes 232 personal attacks ranging from harassment and threats to physical violence. … Continue reading Report: Attacks on Catholics increasingly common and tolerated in Europe and Latin America
In Poland, Religion and Ethics Classes in Schools Are Being Reduced
The Holy Synod of the Polish Orthodox Church has joined the Roman Catholic Church in Poland in expressing concern over the new regulation of the Ministry of Education on the reform of the teaching of Religion and Ethics in schools. By order of the Ministry of Education, from the new 2025 school year, religious education … Continue reading In Poland, Religion and Ethics Classes in Schools Are Being Reduced
Humanists International calls for more space for Civil Society at UN
In a statement made to the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Humanists International has called for more space to be given to representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to make statements at the UN in the context of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and ensure their safety. Read full article … Continue reading Humanists International calls for more space for Civil Society at UN
Hui Christian pastor sentenced to nine months in prison in China
Hui Christian Pastor Ma Yan was sentenced to nine months in prison for ‘organising illegal gatherings’ by the Yinchuan Railway Transportation Court in China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on 24 March. Ma was charged and tried on 10 February 2025 for organising a gathering of no more than ten Christians in Jinfeng District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, which was raided … Continue reading Hui Christian pastor sentenced to nine months in prison in China
USCIRF 2025 report: Hungary and Russia’s Growing Religious Intolerance Under the Spotlight
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released its 2025 annual report, painting a grim picture of religious repression and discrimination worldwide. From state-controlled religious policies in China to the persecution of Christian and Muslim minorities across various regions, the report underscores ongoing threats to religious freedom. Among the European nations analysed, Hungary … Continue reading USCIRF 2025 report: Hungary and Russia’s Growing Religious Intolerance Under the Spotlight